RAHEEM GIVES STERLING SERVICE TO RIVAL HUDSON-ODOI

CALLUM HUDSON-ODOI says Raheem Sterling has put Premier League rivalry aside to act as his mentor. The Chelsea winger, who has joined up with England Under 21s ahead of Friday’s trip to Slovenia, returns to the international scene after five months out with an achilles injury. Club manager Frank Lampard has urged Hudson-Odoi to study Sterling’s work ethic and the Manchester City forward has been on hand to answer phonecalls and WhatsApp messages. ‘He obviously plays for a different team, so he doesn’t have to do that, but he does because he wants everyone to do well,’ Hudson-Odoi said. ‘For a person like that to help you, it’s an amazing feeling. He gives you the best advice possible. ‘I ask him, “How do you get all the goals you are getting, how do you work for the team, how do you make an impact in big games?”’ The 18-year-old has recorded three assists since scoring on his Chelsea comeback in last month’s 7-1 victory over Grimsby in the Carabao Cup. At half-time that night, Lampard told Hudson-Odoi that he needed to work harder when running beyond the Grimsby defence. The subtlety of an attacker’s movement is something Sterling is advising him on. ‘Raheem tells me to keep working hard, tells me how to get the goals, how to get the assists,’ Hudson-Odoi said. ‘He’ll tell me what are the best movements to get in the box when the balls are coming in, what is the best position to pick up possession. ‘It’s everything you need to know in the modern game and how you should be playing. ‘I’d say he is one of the best wingers in the world right now. When I watch him play it’s an amazing feeling because he likes to help and contribute to the team as much as possible.’ Hudson-Odoi agreed with Lampard that Sterling’s determination to succeed is exactly what he should be attempting to replicate. The Chelsea boss admitted he does occasionally need to relay some ‘hard truths’ to Hudson-Odoi, who is relishing Lampard’s management style and recently signed a five-year contract. Lampard ‘gives you a lot of encouragement, he loves to boost the players’, said Hudson-Odoi (right). ‘It is never bad criticism, it is always constructive. He always wants to help and push you to become a better player. We can go to him and he will tell us what we need to do to become better players. ‘We like that from a manager. He gives us opportunities to come and speak to him and ask him questions if we are not happy. ‘It’s a nice feeling to have around the camp to know we have a manager who can speak about it.’